Girl Gets Girl
by RebLaw
Summary: After the season 2 finale, Azula pursues Katara, thinking she would make a wonderful addition to her posse, only to find something she wasn't looking for. [AzulaxKatara][Please R&R]
1. Welcome to Pineweb Forest

Girl Gets Girl

By: RebLaw

Disclaimer:

I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender (if I did there'd be at least some lesbian subtext somewhere).

If you're offended by the idea of two girls being in a relationship don't read this and complain to me in the comments (and why did you click on a fanfic with a title like "Girl Gets Girl" anyway? you clearly are a closet lesbian fan).

Chapter 1: Welcome to Pineweb Forest

Azula was lounging around the Earth Kingdom throne room, well; actually, it was her throne room now. She was claiming to be the Earth King's niece and heir. The lie worked very well, the Dai Li were sufficient in silencing those who knew better and would talk. No one asked questions.

"What was that waterbender girl's name again?" Azula asked, all of a sudden, a devilish smile gracing her face. "I remember it sounded funny."

"Katara," Zuko answered plainly. "Her brother is Sokka, the blind girl is Toph, and the Avatar is named Aang."

"Sokka's cute," Ty Lee said cheerfully, mostly to herself.

Azula nodded, memorizing all the names, a slight smirk gracing her lips. "It sounds like you know a lot about them."

Zuko shrugged. He had been chasing them for months after all. Of course he knew more about them than she did, it was only natural.

"Tell me everything you know about them," Azula said, her eyes almost flashing as thoughts raced through her mind. "We can come up with a way for you to capture the Avatar."

Zuko's eyes widened slightly, he couldn't believe it, it was like a dream coming true. Not only returning home a war hero, but also returning home with the Avatar. There was no doubt his honor would be restored, and increased.

Azula raised an eyebrow. Without missing a beat she said in an exasperated tone, "Oh please, don't tell me that you have a crush on her."

"Who?" Zuko asked, befuddled, pausing a moment. "Katara? No, of course not."

"So spill it!" Azula said all the playfulness a cat has when it has cornered a mouse.

--

"We should take the Earth King to the Northern Water Tribe," Sokka said. "It's the only safe place left."

They had just gotten past the last wall. Toph was still fairly petrified clinging to Appa, As was everyone except Aang, he was holding on to the reigns.

"No Earth King has ever been out of the Earth Kingdom," the king of the fallen country said quietly. Besides tradition, running away didn't strike him as particularly kingly.

"Yeah, well, no Earth King has ever had his kingdom fall," Toph rebutted, tactlessly.

Katara grimaced at Toph's remark and immediately began to work on damage control, "Er, what Toph means is that these extreme circumstances call for extreme measures."

"Hmmm," the Earth King mumbled. "Can I have more time to think about this?"

"Sure," Aang said, smiling a little. "We can stay in the Northern Air Temple for a bit."

Aang figured that the Northern Air Temple was both safe, and an unlikely place for the Fire Nation to come looking for the Earth King. Aang was proud of himself for that idea, he felt almost as clever as Sokka.

"I'd rather stay in my kingdom," the king said, honestly. "At least for the time being."

"Are you crazy?!" Sokka exclaimed, disbelieving how all of his comrades seemed to be more sympathetic with the king than with him, even though he had the superior reason and logic here. "If you stay here, the psycho fire-witch will find you! And then what?"

"Well," Katara, playing the peacemaker once again, said. "How about we stay and protect him, for a little bit."

"We don't have time," Sokka stated shortly. "Remember, we only have four months to get together an army. Four! F-O-U-R! The Northern Water Tribe will be our best bet for help now."

"How long do you need?" Katara asked the Earth King.

"I suppose a couple weeks would be sufficient time," the king said quietly.

"Fine," Sokka grumbled. Two weeks wouldn't be the end of the world, and if it were, it wouldn't be his fault.

--

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Ty Lee said smiling. "I've always wanted to have a waterbender as a friend, and her brother is cu-ute!"

Azula smiled tightly, and looked over to her other stooge.

Mai shrugged, and asked, "Does the plan involve anything that's not boring?"

Azula smirked and shook her head.

"And you really think that this plan will work?" Zuko asked sharply.

"Of course it will," Azula said in an arrogant tone. "My plans always work. That's why we're in the throne room of Ba Sing Se, after all."

"I don't think Katara will betray Aang," Zuko said softly. "She hasn't before; I don't see why she would now."

Azula shrugged, unconcerned with her brother's thoughts on the matter. It wasn't like he could ever appreciate the genius that she was. His failure told her nothing, other than he was a failure, which she already knew.

"I'm going to leave tomorrow," the fire princess stated. "I want you three to stay here and keep any rebellions down and keep the troupes in line."

Turning to Zuko she added, in the kindest voice she could muster. "I think it's best this way, so when you return to Father you'll be both a war hero and have the Avatar in hand."

Zuko shrugged. He didn't like being in the city. "Do you want help?"

Azula shook her head. "No, this is something I must do alone."

Zuko frowned, he still didn't trust Azula. Not that he had that much to lose.

--

"We should stop for the night," the Earth King said hesitantly.

"But we're barely out of the city," Sokka complained.

"I follow the old proverb," the king stated. "_Early to bed, early to rise_. It has helped my family in our duty as the kings of Ba Sing Se for eons."

"I guess we can stop for the night," Aang said, patting Appa before instructing him to descend. "Appa's probably getting tired, it's been a pretty eventful day."

"Let's land over there," Sokka said, pointing to a clearing in a dense pine forest. "It'll be safest."

"Yip Yip Appa," Aang said as he steered the bison down to the clearing.

--

"This place smells funny," Toph said.

The gang had unpacked and were setting up camp for the night. Aang and Sokka were arguing about who would give up their sleeping bag for the Earth King.

"We're in a pine forest," Katara explained, smiling. "Doesn't pine smell nice?"

Toph's eyes widened and she earthbended a circular earth wall around the group. "We HAVE to leave. NOW!"

"Why?" Katara asked. "What's wrong with pine trees?"

"This place is dangerous!" Toph said, fright obvious in her voice. After taking a breath she asked, "This forest only pine trees, right?"

"Yeah," Sokka replied after looking around. "Are you feeling alright Toph?"

"I'd feel a lot better if we got out of here," the earthbender said as she began to throw things up onto Appa missing as often as not.

Just before Sokka's green bag would've landed on Appa's back, a branch from a nearby pine tree broke through Toph's earth wall and caught it.

"DID YOU JUST SEE THAT?!" Sokka exclaimed as he ducked behind Toph.

"No," Toph replied her voice dripping with irony.

"We should leave," the Earth King said nervously, as he looked for assistance.

"Yes," Katara said as she began climbing up onto Appa,. She turned around to help the others. At least that was her intent. But she was pushed off of Appa by an extending pine branch. She landed on the ground with a little yelp.

Another and another extended over the bison and over Toph's earth-wall. Aang just had enough time to airbend himself and Katara out of there.

"Sokka!" Katara cried as she soared into the air with Aang. "We can't leave them."

"I know," Aang said, as they hovered on his flier above their friends. "I just don't know how much I can do."

"Toph learned to metalbend, maybe I can learn to plantbend?" Katara suggested with a hint of desperation in her voice.

The pine trees' branches formed a canopy over what had been the clearing Aang set himself and Katara down there. "Okay, let's save our friends."

Katara smiled, and nodded, "Let's save our family."

She closed her eyes and tried to visualize the water in the pant's branches. She slowly moved her arms, trying to bend the water, focusing on the water in the branches. Unfortunately the braches did not even bend.

"Let me try," Aang suggested in an all too optimistic tone. "After all, I am the Avatar."

The Avatar did not do any better.

Katara raised her eyebrows and said, "Don't worry Aang, maybe you can learn plantbending from the swamp people after you finish mastering the four elements."

Aang laughed nervously, "I'll be sure to do that. And learn metalbending from Toph too while I'm at it."

--

Azula was out of the city. She had the Dai Li give her a private escort out, to ensure that no one saw her leave. She instructed the Dai Li that Mai was to be in charge in case anything came up.

Mai was the one she trusted to be least destructive with power. Zuko, well he couldn't be trusted, and Ty Lee was too unfocused. Iroh would've made the best choice, as he had military experience, but alas he was being too foolish to join her side.

At the outer ring, Azula bid farewell to the Dai Li agents who had escorted her and accepted the ostrich-horse offered to her. She rode in the direction the Dai Li intelligence informed her that the Avatar's bison had been seen.

--

"We have to find a way to get those branches out of the way," Sokka said. He had thrown his boomerang up at the canopy, only to have it caught in a branch, much to his annoyance.

Toph's eyes were wide with fight but the rest of her seemed to be frozen and the Earth King looked around as if in a daze.

"What do we do now?" the king asked Sokka.

Sokka grimaced, "Just wait here your highness. I'm going to see if it's possible to climb a tree to get out of here."

Sokka began to climb the tallest pine. He got up fairly close to the canopy when its branches began to extend pushing him away from the tree trunk. He tried to move out of the branch's way, but more branches began to grow towards him from other trees. Sokka landed flat on his back.

"I don't think this is going to work guys."

The Earth King shrugged and looked to Toph.

"We're going to die here," Toph said softly. "This is Pineweb Forest."

"I've never heard of any 'Pineweb forest'," the king said softly, looking down at Toph he asked, "What do you know of it?"

"It's what my nanny used to threaten me with when I was younger," Toph said plainly. Imitating her overly strict nanny, she continued, "'Eat your vegetables or you'll get carted off to Pineweb Forest!' Why do you think I was so well behaved in front of my parents?"

"That's nice," Sokka said sharply, trying to ignore the fatalism. "So what do we do now?"

"Wait for the branches to skewer us and/or the pinecone-spiders to come," Toph said pessimistically.

"Spiders?" Sokka asked, seeing a ray of hope. "Don't worry about them, I can kill them."

"They're almost as big as me and covered with a hard shell," Toph said, almost snickering. "And there are millions of them in these woods."

"Really?" the Earth King asked nervously. "It's a shame that we can't burn this forest down. To think, I let it exist and thrive during my kingship."

"I'm going to die without ever having been kissed by a boy," Toph said in an uncharacteristically pouty voice, her eyes pointed towards Sokka.

--

Azula smirked as she watched Aang use his airbending to fly into the air and then dive-bomb the branches, trying to break them. It was futile. Katara stood by watching helplessly. The Avatar really did still need to learn firebending. That much was obvious.

Her plan would work perfectly, Azula realized. As if there was ever any doubt.


	2. Escape from Pineweb Forest

Chapter 2: Escape from Pineweb Forest

A/N:

sagelights: Thank you for your comment, I hope my fic does not disappoint.

crazyhorse: If you sign up for you can opt to be sent alerts every time this story is updated, I'll try to update it a couple times a week..

Ur2: It's nice to see I'm not the only one who appreciates Avatar femmeslash :-)

---

"I believe I can help," a feminine voice said. Aang and Katara had been busy trying to break the branches that enclosed their friends. They turned around and readied their stances.

"Oh please," Azula said, her posture lax. "If I had wanted to attack you two, you'd already be dead."

"What do you want?" Katara growled, holding the water from her waterskin in the air, ready to attack. She remembered how the princess had just that very day almost killed Aang. The hole was still in his clothing. If she wasn't so angry she would've wondered how Azula had found them and gotten up on top of the trees where they were.

"Like I said before, I want to help," Azula said, giving an earnest look. She had always been good at faking sincerity.

"How are you going to help?" Aang asked. His expression soften.

"I am a firebender," Azula stated, as-a-matter-of-fact-ly. "But I'd need some help extinguishing the fire, eventually."

Katara nodded, keeping her eyes on the princess. She didn't trust her, but, if she was willing to help…

---

Meanwhile, Sokka, Toph and the Earth King had other matters to attend to.

One of the pinecone spiders had appeared. Sokka approached it with his club. Toph stood by Appa, and the Earth King hid behind her.

"Take that!" Sokka shouted as he began to pummel on the hard outer layer of the spider.

"What's that smell?" Toph asked. It smelled like a fire was burning.

"What smell?" Sokka asked, automatically, as the pinecone spider's fangs grabbed onto his club. He didn't really have time to play 20 questions.

Sokka was too busy wrestling with the pinecone spider to notice. Until the spider caught of fire. A blue fire.

"Oh no," Sokka muttered under his breath as he looked up to confirm his fear. Azula.

"Katara, put out that thing before it burns the whole forest down," Azula ordered. "Aang, get them out of there already."

He couldn't believe his eyes when she saw Katara taking orders from Azula.

"We have to free Appa first," Aang stated as he jumped down to the ground.

"What is SHE doing here?" Sokka asked, pointing at Azula, as soon as he could speak again.

"She's rescuing us," Aang said plainly. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"She's rescuing us?!" Sokka repeated unable to comprehend those words in a sentence referring to Azula. "Did you say you'd go with her or something? Aang, you're the Avatar, you shouldn't be sacrificing yourself like that!"

"Relax," Aang said, as Toph and Sokka grabbed onto his walking stick.

Aang airbended himself, Sokka and Toph out of the clearing, much to Sokka's relief. Toph immediately clung to Sokka.

Aang looked up at Sokka, "She didn't ask me to turn myself over to her. I'm not sure I understand what's going on."

Sokka frowned. "If Azula's involved, it can't be anything good."

--

Azula jumped down into the clearing, and immediately saw Appa trapped. "How much water do you have left Katara?"

It would take more than a little fire to free the flying bison, the branches had him pretty much trapped.

"Not much," Katara answered as she jumped down and bended what little water she had out of the waterskin.

"That's not going to be enough," Azula stated. "Is there anywhere else you keep water?"

"No, we just barely escaped from the city with our lives, no thanks to you!" Katara snapped. "So sorry if we don't have enough supplies for your pretty little plan to work."

Azula's eyes widened, and she shrank a little, putting on her best 'sensitive little girl' act.

"I guess I deserved that," she said almost quietly. "I don't blame you for being angry with me. We can talk about it, later, after we save Appa."

"Maybe Aang can blow out the fire or something," Katara said, feeling a little bad.

"That would be a bad idea," Azula said. "My fire burns blue because of how intense it is, adding air to it would just strengthen it."

"I know," Katara said. "I can use the moisture in the trees to control the fire."

"You can bend water within a living thing?" Azula asked. "How useful."

Azula approached Appa, before remembering something from her encounter with the Kyoshi Warriors. One of the girls used fire to scare Appa away. This would have to be done carefully.

"I think I'm going to break the branches from behind the bison," Azula said as she began to walk around Appa, only to be knocked down with an extending branch.

"Agni…." Azula hissed under her breath as she picked herself up.

"Are you alright?" Katara asked, rushing to the other girl's side.

"I'm fine," Azula said, dusting herself off quickly, taking great pains to keep in character. "The sooner we get out of here the better."

Katara nodded, and started bending the water trees up to their branches. Azula created a small flame right next to the branches, seemingly taking great care that Appa could not accidentally get burnt.

After about a half hour, and a couple close calls with extending branches, Appa was freed. Katara and Appa climbed on his back and guided him out of the forest, picking up Aang, Sokka and Toph on the way.

--

Sokka was the only one who even looked in Azula's direction. And all he did was glare.

"Do you want to talk about this?" Azula asked, looking the young warrior in the eye.

"Yes," Sokka replied. "You're the bad guy! You just tried to kill Aang a couple hours ago! And now we're all supposed to accept you as our friend?"

"Sokka," Aang said, trying to calm his friend down. "We're just giving her a ride to the nearest town. Her ostrich-horse ran away while she was saving us. She'd be stranded if we didn't help her. She's not our friend."

"I appreciate you doing this for me," Azula said in an almost wistful tone. "I don't blame you for hating me. I'd hate me too if I were you."

"Why are you all nice to us now?!" Sokka asked, hardly even trying to keep the accusatory tone out of his voice. "Why rescue us after trying to kill us?"

Azula sighed, while inwardly smiling at the wonderful job she was doing acting. "I did not want to kill you, if I did, I would've done it while you were sitting ducks back there."

"Sokka, we don't have to trust her," Katara said. "All that's important is that she helped us, and then we're helping her now, and soon we'll never have to see her again."

"I did do a lot of bad things," Azula said, her head titled downward, her hand obscuring her eyes. "I did a lot of things I'm ashamed of. I know what I've done is inexcusable. I'm just glad that now I'm going to have a chance to finally escape."

Azula peered out to see the reactions of her comrades. None of them were even looking at her, much less looking at her sympathetically. She furrowed her brow; apparently she was going to have to lay it on even thicker.

"I left Ba Sing Se because my father is coming," Azula said, putting special emphasis on the word father.

"Nobody cares," Toph said bluntly. "You almost killed one of us, you've been a constantly royal pain in our collective butt recently, and so your little rich evil princess problems with your dad just don't interest us. Go sell it to a tabloid. Nobody here cares."

"I've ordered the Dai Li to assassinate him," Azula said, inwardly smiling, after the blind little eathbender finished her rant.

Now that got everyone's attention.

"Why would you do that?" Aang asked, disbelieving his own ears. Not that it wouldn't be the best thing ever if Ozai was taken care of by someone else.

"My father is not what the Fire Nation needs or wants," Azula said. "I am the princess to my people, not my father's puppet. Everything I've done, up to this point, was to earn his trust and lure him out of the Fire Nation."

"No way, I don't believe it," Sokka said. "The Fire Nation is the country that's responsible for the war, why would they want their leader killed? Especially when Sozen's comet is just around the corner. It makes no sense!"

"I've not only stopped fighting you but I just saved you as well," Azula said almost too pointedly. "But you still don't trust me. If I hadn't shown up when you were in no shape to fight, I'd have had to defend myself. You may see the Earth Kingdom as the victim, but they are hardly helpless. If given a chance, they will attack, especially after learning my nation's weakpoint."

Sokka rolled his eyes. He still didn't like it.

"There's a town," Aang noted. He still felt a little light-headed. The Dai Li taking out Ozai? Doing his job for him?

"We should stay there for the night," Katara said, pointing to a large building which resembled an inn. "We all had a very long day. It'll be nice to sleep in beds."


	3. Milltown Inn

Chapter 3: Milltown Inn

By: Reblaw

A/N

crazyhorse: I agree, when I was writing it, I figured Aang and Katara were probably feeling very uncomfortable, but they are generally not the characters which will come out and say it. Some parts in this chapter may bother you too, but I really do think that Aang isn't being too OOC here (you may disagree). Thank you for your comments.

---

"No inn for me," Toph said as they arrived at the inn.

"But Toph, don't you want to sleep on a nice bed?" the Earth King asked.

"I like being in contact with the ground," Toph explained. "You guys go stay in your inn; I'll be just outside town."

"Is she really like that?" Azula asked, her face showing her disbelief that anyone could enjoy sleeping on the bare ground, Katara in a quiet tone.

Katara turned around and faced Azula. Almost hissing Katara replied, "She's an earthbender, she sees through the ground." After a pause, "Don't you have anywhere else to be your highness?"

Azula realized that she had said the wrong thing. She politely chuckled, "Oh my, what was I thinking, of course!"

"You know what," Sokka said, turning to face Azula. "I think you should find somewhere else to spend the night. You're not welcome with us."

Azula put on her best "hurt young girl" face. She sighed dramatically and said, "I can completely understand why you guys hate me. I hate me too."

Aang made a face, rolling his eyes slightly. It wasn't like she was attacking them, and she was in unfamiliar territory. He figured that if he was going to bring peace to the world he had better start learning to be an example of forgiveness. Even with Ozai gone, there were going to be conflicts between the Fire Nation and the rest of the world.

"Azula should stay with us," Aang said. "Just for the night. I mean, she did save us earlier."

"Thank you Avatar," Azula said hardly missing a beat. She really couldn't believe how stupid the great Avatar was. "You are truly great. I only hope that someday I can follow your great example and live as noble of a life as you do. You are truly the greatest gift the Spirits gave to the world."

Aang blushed slightly at all the praise. He wasn't used to anyone laying on the flattery that thickly. Grinning he sheepishly said, "Don't worry about it."

"I still don't trust her," Sokka announced. His hand clutching his weapon.

The Earth King nodded in agreement. Azula had spent days with him, pretending to be a Kyoshi Warrior, he knew she was a good liar.

Toph shrugged, "Want to know something really weird guys?"

Katara nodded, understanding where Toph was most likely going.

A shiver of fear went down Azula's spine. The blind earthbender's blind eyes were looking right at her. She wondered if instead of normal sight, the girl had the ability to see into a person's soul.

"I can't tell if Azula's lying," Toph said, much to Azula's relief. "I mean, if she is, she's very good at hiding it."

"How can you tell something like that Toph?" The Earth King asked.

"I can feel her body's pulse, when most people lie, their pulse rate increases," Toph explained. "So she's either a very good liar, or telling the truth."

Aang's brow furrowed, "I don't think it's fair to assume she is lying."

"But, Aang," Sokka interjected, having a hard time coming up with the right words, the situation was that frustrating for him. "She just tried to KILL YOU, it was TODAY even. You can't just let that slide off your back. I mean, you still have a SCAR from her ON YOUR back!"

The Earth King nodded in agreement. He knew that Azula had been a very good liar.

Azula raised her hand up to hold her head, shielding her face from the others. "I'm so sorry. I, I didn't want to really kill you."

"I believe her," Aang said. Everyone, including Azula, was shocked.

"I'm going to get some sleep," Toph rolled her eyes. There was nothing anyone could say to convince her that Azula wasn't the world' biggest witch and Aang wasn't the world's biggest idiot for trusting the witch. She wanted no part in any of it.

Katara furrowed her brow, in disbelief that Aang could really be that forgiving. She hadn't even begun to forgive Azula for anything. When she looked at the princess, all she saw was evil, beautiful evil, deadly evil, but still evil.

She caught herself wondering if Aang may just be right, she understood that she wasn't exactly neutral when it came to the Fire Nation. Aang was the Avatar, and the Avatar was the one who was going to restore peace. Maybe she should follow his lead. After all, she did believe in him.

"It would make no sense for her to want me dead," Aang continued. "When Zhao captured me, he told me that the Fire Nation wanted to keep me alive but weak, so I wouldn't be reborn. If I die, I will be reborn, and the Fire Nation would have to search the whole world to find me again."

No one could argue with that. Azula rolled her eyes at how long it was taking the nitwits to decide to be stupid and accept her already. Normally she did not tolerate this kind of irrationality, but it worked to her advantage, so she kept her mouth shut.

"But that might not be such a bad thing for the Fire Nation," Sokka said breaking the silence.

Azula raised an eyebrow, "How exactly do you figure that?"

"No, when the Avatar is reborn, he –"

"Or she," Katara interjected.

"Right, he or she will just be a little infant, and will be rather useless for many years," Sokka continued. "And with the comet arriving, whether the Avatar is useless by age or by being held captive, it doesn't make a difference."

"Wow," the Earth King commented looking very impressed.

Azula nodded, surprised someone had even two brain cells to rub together, "You know, I had never considered that."

"I am the warrior and the thinker from my village," Sokka said proudly, causing Katara to roll her eyes, before he remember that the girl he was talking to, while attractive, was still his enemy. "So don't think that just because you can fool Aang with your 'oh, I'm really good deep down inside act' you've fooled all of us."

The Earth King nodded at Sokka's statement. He wanted the evil princess as far away from him as possible.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to in and get a bed," Katara said, tired of the arguing. She had reached the point where she found Azula more annoying than scary.

"Get a room with two beds for us," Azula ordered quickly. Causing Sokka and Aang to look at Azula as if she had lost her mind. "What?"

"We normally just all sleep in the same room," Katara explained. "You know, keep the costs down and everything."

Azula frowned. "But Katara, you're an unmarried woman."

"And he's my brother," Katara said pointing at Sokka, "And he's the Avatar, who's twelve," she finished pointing at Aang, who frowned a little. "I don't think my honor will ever come into question."

"Your honor might not," Azula said, trying to put it gently. "But I am a princess. There are higher standards for princesses."

"She's right," the Earth King said. "I can't stay in a room with Katara or Azula."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever."

"I hope you're planning on contributing financially," Sokka grumbled pointedly at Azula, quietly so the Earth King couldn't hear easily.

He handed Katara a few coins, and a small knife, just in case. Katara went into the inn. Azula smiled. The girl, Katara, was the heart of the group, that she had given up resisting Azula not only furthered her long term goal, but also her short term one. The objections of Sokka quickly would become a non-issue.

Azula raised an eyebrow, and tossed Sokka a bag full of gold coins. It was probably more money than any of them had ever seen or would ever see again, Azula thought as she smirked confidently.

"Well, okay," Sokka said. "I suppose, if Azula is willing to off Lord Ozai for us, give us enough money that we'll never have to worry about it again, teach Aang firebending including lightening bending, suddenly become a cloistered nun, and reveal she's really her own GOOD twin sister, then, and only then,. I suppose I can't say anything about her staying with us."

Azula shrugged, "You have to admit three out of five isn't that bad."

"You're really Azula's good twin sister?" Sokka asked.

"You're going to become a nun?" the Earth King asked, thinking that it was the only penance she could do for the evil act she had committed.

"You're going to teach me firebending?" Aang asked his eyes wide with hope. Azula was a very talented firebender.

"Yes," Azula said, deciding to play up the repentant sinner role. None of the guys were really sure which of the things she was saying "yes" to but decided it was safe to assume it was the one they had assumed, except Sokka, he still didn't trust her.

--

It was late when by the time Azula finally got to go to bed. Katara already fell asleep, a fact that caused Azula to lightly curse under her breath.

But she finally was able to get a good look at the other girl. The moon was full and lightly illuminated the room through the window.

Azula was taken aback by how calm and beautiful the girl looked when she was sleeping. The girl's features looked like one of those stupid dolls Iroh sent her when he was abroad and she was just a young girl.

Azula had never noticed how warm the waterbender's skin looked with its dark coloring. It was gorgeous. She would truly be a prize.

Azula smirked as she went to her bed and lied down to think about how she'd draw the innocent waterbender to her side and turn her against the Avatar.


	4. A Prodigy’s Failure

Chapter 4: A Prodigy's Failure

By: RebLaw

Disclaimer: I still don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, and probably never will.

A/N: Wow, I sure got a lot of comments on chapter three. :-)

Lil' Pup – I'm sorry it took me so long to update, I hit a bit of a writer's block, thank you for your patience.

Xgamerkf – It's okay, it bothers me a little bit too (I feel so bad for making the Earth King be around the young lady who brought down his kingdom!) But it seemed the most logical place to put it, it's setting is going to become less relevant in future chapters.

Kai Dragoon – Yeah, the Avatar fandom needs more shoujo-ai. I'm glad you agree with my characterization of Aang.

crazyhorse – Thank you again for your comments. Again, the future chapters will have less and less to do with the end of season 2.

Demon Pyromaniac – I'm a big fan of Fuseki too! Unfortunately I believe grad school and other things are occupying the author's time.

Blade100 – I could tell you what she's planning… but then she'd kill me 0.o (j/k) Some things are best left unrevealed.

Roxius – I'm glad you enjoy it! I think Aang'll wise up eventually. He's naïve, but not stupid.

This chapter is going to be a bit rougher than the others, because I really need a beta reader.

-.-.-.-.-

"Aang, you can't really tell me that you believe her," Sokka said, when they were in their room and the Earth King had fallen asleep. "I mean, she's AZULA, even Zuko's afraid of her!"

"I know Sokka," Aang said, a hint of resentment in his voice. "It's just not that easy. It would be very easy to just say 'Azula's evil, let's destroy her!' but it wouldn't be right. The monks always taught me that there is both good and evil in everyone. And that the good should always be cultivated. That's what I'm trying to do. She's having her father killed for us. We owe her a chance."

It was silent.

Sokka sighed and said, "Look, I don't mean to argue with you, but I really think you're being way too trusting here. Azula is not a normal person, she shot lightening at her very own uncle, that's something normal people don't do!"

"She's very talented," Aang pointed out. "I'm sure she'll be an amazing teacher. How cool would it be if I could defeat Ozai with lightening?"

"I'd have to agree, that would be cool," Sokka agreed.

Aang nodded, which was followed by a somewhat awkward silence

"I don't think we should bring Azula with us when we take the Earth King to the Northern Water Tribe," Sokka said plainly. "And I think we should get him up there sooner rather than later. It's one thing for us to trust her. We can't ask the Earth King to. I mean, she dethroned him."

"Alright," Aang agreed.

"Do you think you could handle Azula on your own?" Sokka asked.

---

Katara woke up early, as she always did. She was surprised to see not Aang or Sokka, but Azula sleeping in the other bed. She had been hoping the whole last day had just been a dream induced by some exotic food she had eaten.

The waterbender had to admit that Azula looked angelic when she was sleeping, but she didn't let herself forget what a demon-spawn the girl was when awake. She stared at the sleeping princess, reminding herself what a bother she was, how she almost killed Aang, who was her best friend.

She got dressed quietly and decided to tiptoe out of the room. She did not want to wake Azula. Judging by how oddly the girl had behaved the pervious day Katara doubted Azula would let them leave without her if she were awake. And every bone in Katara's body told her that they should leave without her, as soon as possible.

She stepped off the bed and onto the floor. _Creeeak_. Katara's face winched, as it slowly turned to see if that had awoken the princess. She slowly stepped a good distance, onto a board that didn't squeak. But this time she heard sheets ruffle. Azula had turned over onto her side. Katara held her breath, unsure if Azula had awoken or not.

After about a minute Katara realized that, yes, indeed, she had to resume breathing at some point, or she would collapse on the floor, which would certainly wake Azula up. The princess hadn't moved since she turned over, Katara quietly began to breathe again and to plan her next step.

She made it to the door. Now for the hard part. She grabbed the handle and slowly turned it, she could hear the mechanisms moving. Just a little further. _Clink._ Okay, now for the hard part, opening the door slowly enough so it doesn't disturb the room, but not so slowly it squeaks.

Katara slowly opened the door, just a half a foot, just enough so she could squeeze out. Just when she had turned to close the door, the worst possible thing happened.

"Good morning Katara!" a familiar cheeful voice rang through the hallway.

Katara's eyes widened and she made motions to hush him, but it was already too late, she could hear Azula stirring.

"Are you ready to get breakfast?" Aang said.

"Sure," Katara said sighing, as she closed the door, not caring how loudly it shut.

---

"Good morning," Azula said dressed in her normal deep red attire, which she wore on purpose.

It looked like everyone was just finishing breakfast. Katara and Sokka both looked disappointed to see her.

Apparently it was going to be harder than she thought, Azula realized. The waterbender wasn't half as stupid and trusting as the Avatar. But, she had to admit, that made her an even better prize to be won.

"Good morning Azula," Aang said happily.

The patrons of the tavern began to whisper among each other and seemed to fairly unanimously agree that leaving would be a good idea. Azula did stick out, and there was no hiding that she was Fire Nation.

"Are you ready to learn firebending Aang?" Azula asked, pronouncing the word "firebending" a bit too loudly, her eyes staring into Katara's in a way that sent shivers down Katara's spine.

"You bet," Aang said cheerfully.

"I-I'm going to have to respectfully a-ask you folks to leave," the tavern owner stammered as he slowly approached their table. "D-don't worry about the bill, j-just go, a-and d-don't come back."

"But -," Aang began but the man had quickly walked away, leaving him and his friends alone in the tavern.

Azula looked around putting on an innocent face but smiling on the inside, "Maybe I should, I don't know, change back into that clothes I wore in Ba Sing Se."

"That would be a good idea," Sokka said, wondering if maybe he overestimated her ability. "Anyway, I'm going to take the king to the Northern Water Tribe."

"What?" Aang, Katara and Toph asked. Aang knew that was an idea thrown around, but this was the first the two girls had heard of it.

The Earth King nodded. "It would be a good idea."

"But didn't you just want to stay with us?" Aang asked, feeling very confused.

The Earth King paused, considering how to explain that he didn't want to be in Azula's company, even if it meant flying half-way across the world. "I've reconsidered Sokka's proposal, and I agree that for the time being, it would be safest if I were among my Northern Water Tribe allies."

Azula smirked; she understood what the Earth King was really thinking, it was nice to see that even with her goody-two-shoes performance, she was till intimidating. Fair enough, anything that got rid of the ever skeptical Sokka suited her purpose.

"I should go with Sokka," Toph announced. "I don't want to be stuck here with Azula."

Katara knew that Toph liked her brother. She smiled, "I guess it'd be nice for Toph to get a chance to visit the Northern Water Tribe. But hurry back, Aang still hasn't mastered earthbending."

And that was that, Sokka, Toph, and the Earth King left on Appa for the Northern Water Tribe. Aang and Katara stayed behind with Azula, who was to teach Aang firebending.

---

"Okay, so you know some of the basics of firebending," Azula said, her posture stiff as she looked down at her pupil from a bounder.

They had found some uninhabited land a bit North of Milltown. Katara had come to watch, her brother had made her swear never to leave Aang alone with Azula before he left.

Aang nodded. Azula was beginning to remind him of the strict Master Pakku who taught him waterbending at the North Pole.

"I'm going to demonstrate the first routine a firebending child is taught. I mastered this set at age 4," Azula said, her face emotionless, and her voice harsh. "I expect, as the Avatar, this won't be terribly difficult for you."

Azula preformed a set which included on punch and a round kick. Katara couldn't help but notice how effortless it looked; it was if the flames Azula created were merely an extension of herself. Katara had not really gotten a chance to watch Azula firebend closely before, previously she had only seen the princess firebend while she was fighting the princess. Now that she could just sit and observe, Katara was awed at how artful and smooth Azula's motions were, especially compared to other firebenders who always seem to be fighting their own element, forcing it out of themselves.

Aang watched intensely. On his first try he couldn't get the punch very well, or the kick at all, he almost fell down.

Azula sighed and told him to try again. It would've been bad to let Katara see her lose her temper this early.

On the second try, Aang mastered the punch and the kick, only there was no fire.

"That was, better," Azula said, biting her tongue. "But not good. You have to focus on the energy of your movements. Fire is the heat in your body, just as your bone are made of minerals from the earth, your movements guided by air, and the fluids are made from water."

She looked over to notice Katara looked impressed with her knowledge. She was the top student at the Royal Fire Nation Academy for Girls, after all, and she saw no reason not to flaunt it.

"It's too hard," Aang said. "When Jeong Jeong taught me, he had me just doing breathing and posturing. I could just barely summon fire by the time I had to leave him."

Azula rolled her eyes. She had no idea where to start with him. She hadn't really needed to go over the basics too much even when she just started out learning when she was really young.

"Try it again," Azula said, in a harsher tone. She didn't think it could get any simpler than that.

Aang tried it again, and again, until he got the movements down to being pretty close to perfect. Azula was beginning to show her temper, commanding Aang to do it again and again in a harsh tone.

"Maybe you should try to break it down further?" Katara suggested, when Aang looked exhausted, and Azula looked very frustrated.

"It doesn't get any simpler than this!" Azula exclaimed, before she was able to catch herself.

Katara sighed at looked at Aang and Azula. She wondered if she should tell Azula why Aang refused to learn anymore firebending after the incident.

"Maybe Aang should take a break from firebending and practice some waterbending?" Katara suggested. "A change of pace might help him get out of his rut."

"Sure," Azula said after she realized that it was expected that she agree.

"Come on Aang," Katara said motioning to the tired boy, who followed her. "There was a stream a little bit back towards the town."

"Katara," Azula called. "Do you mind if I watch?"

Katara shook her head no, but made a mental note that she wasn't going to strip down to her underclothes and bindings like she normally did.

---

Azula had never seen waterbending outside of combat before. She was impressed by its graceful movements, and its beauty, its peace. She was impressed at how good Aang was at it. Maybe her old fuddy-duddy uncle had something going when he spoke of learning from all four of the elements.

Katara looked very much at peace as she bended the water around in slow circles, froze it, melted it, and summoned large waves of it. Aang looked slightly less so, but he was definitely getting here.


	5. Little By Little

Chapter 5: Little by Little

By: RebLaw

Disclaimer: I still don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

A/N: So many wonderful comments! Thank you all so much! I'm so sorry for how long it's taken me to update… I am happily employed these days and busy with family stuff, so my free time is rare and precious. I'm sorry that this chapter is kind of short, and the bath scene is not shown here, but rest assured loyal readers, you will know what happened in it!

Billy Rose- yes that would be funny, honestly as I write this, I really feel bad for Aang, he gets the raw end of all of this.

PillowQueen- I'm sorry for taking so long to update!

expect the unexpected- I'll try to live up your praise!

crazyhorse- wow, um, you know, you are very right about the ending not being a good ending (honestly I couldn't come up with a nice conclusion to that chapter)

MonCappy- You're right on both accounts. I guess I just got confused because her fire and lightning look kind of similar (weak excuse, honest there is no excuse for an Azula fangirl like me to have made that mistake), thank you very much for catching it!

Lil'Pup- Thank you for your comment, I'm sorry I made you wait so long!

-.-.-

"What are you doing?" Katara asked as Azula sat down by her, watching her prepare ingredients. Azula had acted like her shadow the whole day, and it was starting to get on Katara's nerves.

"I've never seen anyone cook before," Azula said, indifferent to Katara's tone. "I'd like to see how it's done for once."

"Well, I guess it's nice that I can be the sideshow attraction for your royal pain in my …" Katara grumbled irately under her breath.

"What was that?" Azula asked; her voice harsh and firm, her eyes focused on Katara's quickly softening expression.

"Nothing," Katara said crossly. "Look, if you're going to watch me, you might as well do something useful."

Katara threw a potato over at Azula. She handed the girl a knife and watched as Azula looked confused staring at the potato and then at the knife, as if she didn't understand what was going on.

"You skin the potato using the knife," Katara said patiently. "But you have to be careful. You don't want to cut yourself accidentally."

Azula nodded. She began to cut into the potato, and started to carefully peel it. She wasn't sure how she was doing with Katara. Katara seemed to alternate between treating her kindly and being suspicious- she had been doing that all day. Maybe she was cracking the artic water bender's shell, or maybe she was occasionally seeing a glimpse of what Katara was really like. Either way.

Azula slightly smiled as she began to peel the potato. While she was talented with firebending and unarmed martial arts, the feeling of holding a weapon still made her feel more powerful. Feeling the weight of a tool, it made it somehow made her deadliness feel more real. Firebending wasn't magic, but it wasn't cold hard metal.

She peeled it slowly, and deliberately. Azula always took care in all she did. If something was worth doing, it was worth doing perfectly-- that was Azula's philosophy. To some it seemed like overkill, but to her, it was the only acceptable way.

"You're doing a very good job," Katara said politely, as she went to get the pot, with a smile. "I can't believe you've never done that before."

Azula looked up at Katara. It seemed foolish for her to praise such a simple task. Azula forced herself to smile in response. "Thank you," she said, her voice sounding light and genuine.

Katara gave Azula an earnest smile. Azula discovered that it was contagious. Katara left for a few minutes during which Azula tried to perfect her speed and technique at potato peeling.

When Katara returned she gave Azula a little smile, mostly wondering why the girl took so long to finish peeling one potato.

"I found some nuts," Aang said happily as he returned. His expression changed slightly when he saw Azula and Katara smiling at each other, unsure of what to make of it.

"Oh, hi, Avatar Aang," Azula said smiling more as she noted Aang's discomfort. "Katara is teaching me how to cook."

"That's, um, nice," Aang said, unsure of whether Azula should be seen with suspicion or if she was just weird.

"Do you know how to peal potatoes Avatar?" Azula asked, as she slowly pealed one. "It would be a good exercise for honing your focus."

"Yes, Katara taught me how to do that," Aang said. In an almost calculated, but cheerful, voice he said, "She's the best teacher ever."

Katara smiled with a teacher's pride. "It's easy to teach such a talented pupil."

Azula rolled her eyes as Aang blushed like a school girl. She wondered if the waterbender had caught on to the Avatar's obvious crush on her.

Noting how Katara was politely smiling, she guessed not. From her observations she could tell that Katara was a very innocent girl. And that was going to make her task even more enjoyable. Innocent girls were fun. That's why, despite being closer to Mai, Azula enjoyed Ty Lee's company a little more. There is nothing more beautiful to the Fire Nation princess than corrupting innocence.

"Say Katara," Azula said in a light calculated tone, moving toward Katara. "Why doesn't Aang here take over the potato pealing and you show me how to do what you're doing."

"Um, okay," Katara said, hesitantly. She didn't really like Azula ordering her around, but the girl's request made sense. "Would you mind helping, Aang?"

"Not at all Katara," Aang said pleasantly smiling at Katara while internally frowning at Azula.

-.-.-

"I want to take a bath," Azula announced after the meal had been eaten and the sun had set.

Katara and Aang were recalling an incident with a koi elephant. She didn't have the same history with Katara than Aang had, so listening to those two twitter on was a waste of her time. It was no matter, Azula was confident she could command Katara's attention anyway.

"Okay," Katara said. "I've got some soap and stuff by my pack. Feel free to use any of it."

Azula looked at Katara expectantly. Katara frowned. "Yes?" she asked.

"You will be accompanying me," Azula stated in her royal voice. Katara blinked. Azula turned her back and walked toward a nearby stream.

Katara looked over at Aang. She didn't believe Azula's nerve, giving her a direct order as if she were some kind of servant. Aang was unsure of what to make of it, so he watched blankly.

"I guess I should go then," Katara said, looking Aang in the eye, as if expecting him to say something.

"Have fun," Aang said lamely as Katara left walked off following Azula.

Katara glanced back over her shoulder, to see Aang poking the fire with a stick. She sighed. Sometimes Aang's childishness bothered her. She wondered what evil plan Azula had in store for her.

"Oh, I'm not planning anything," Azula said shortly, after Katara had caught up, her pride almost visible in her voice. "I merely like to bath."

Katara frowned.

"I know you don't trust me," Azula said. It wasn't the first time she said it, nor would it be the last. She had to show Katara that she understood her.

Katara remained silent. She didn't feel as if she needed to explain herself. She knew her feelings were justified.

"Trust me," Azula said an eerie smile upon her lips. "I would've played my hand already if I had wanted to kill you."

"But if you killed me in front of Aang, you'd lose his trust," Katara returned. "So, you're planning to kill me here, far away from him so you can make it look like an accident and take him back to Ozai."

Azula raised an eyebrow. "And why would I want to take him there?"

"Because that's what the Fire Nation wants to do," Katara said, her temper rising. "Because Aang is the only one who has the power to defeat the Fire Nation."

Azula stopped walking and turned around. In a dark voice she said, "You have the power to defeat me. I am one of the most talented firebenders on record. Contrary to popular opinion, my father is not the most powerful firebender in our nation, he is merely its leader."

Katara's brow furrowed. She sarcastically retorted, "Yeah, that's why Aang was almost dead when I ran away from you at Ba Sing Se, exactly, because I'm so powerful."

"I had an army of elite earthbenders at my disposal then," Azula said quietly. "When it was just us fighting each other, you were vastly superior."

Katara felt the disappointment and Azula's voice, and for a moment felt sympathetic. Maybe Azula wasn't purely bent on destruction like her father.

"It doesn't matter," Azula said, her arrogant tone returning. "I'm fighting for the winning side now!"

Azula turned around and made her way to the stream. A smirk graced her face when Katara wasn't looking. It always amused her when she said things that could be interpreted multiple ways and the gullible fool she said them to fell into her trap.

At the stream Azula removed her clothing, methodically and quickly. Katara was amazed at how she showed no shame; she didn't try to cover herself at all. But then Katara realized that being a princess Azula probably was used to others dressing her and things like that.

The waterbender caught her eyes roaming up and down Azula's body. It wasn't like Azula looked that much different than her… just her skin was like porcelain, her physique slim, and her body utterly flawless.

It's just natural curiosity, the girl told herself, as she felt her face redden as Azula turned and almost glared at her.

"Aren't you going to bathe as well?" Azula asked, inwardly smiling at the waterbender's expression.

Katara shrugged and began to take her outer robes off. Azula forced her eyes away from the waterbender's form. It wasn't polite to stare after all.

-.-.-

"So how did it go?" Aang asked when Katara returned.

She was frowning.

Azula followed shortly after, carrying her things with a satisfied grin.

"It was a bath, young Avatar," Azula said with a sly smile. "It went like all baths go."

Aang almost cringed at the sound of Azula's answer.

"I asked Katara," Aang said in a controlled voice.

"It was just a bath Aang," Katara said, her mind elsewhere. "Nothing to worry about."

Aang couldn't help but feel impending doom at the detached tone of Katara's voice. But given how things had been going, he doubted very much that he would get a chance to talk about it with Katara without Azula present.


	6. Sweet Dreams are Made of

Chapter 6: Sweet Dreams are Made of …

By: RebLaw

A/N: I'm sorry I've been working a lot (yeay for massive amounts of overtime), and been pretty uninspired lately. But I am happy to finally have this chapter done. I think the story is probably more than halfway done at this point (although I can never be too sure, sometimes ideas just hit me or things take longer to develop than I'd expect).

Spleefmistress - Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter then (I think you will!)

Devilchika18 – Yes, Azula and Katara are probably my unlikely-to-happen-in-canon-OTP

db – your wait is over!

kidcrud – it'll turn out interestingly, at least I think the ending is interesting :-)

PillowQueen- read and you'll find out!

fgee- thank you, I intend to finish this story! Even if it does take a while between chapters.

crazyhorse – thank you for your reviews, I'm glad that someone besides myself is looking things over (I'm kind of not an English-major type person, so it doesn't surprise me that I don't always catch my errors)

expect the unexpected - thank you for your comment

Billy Rose – I think Aang worries about Katara and Azula than the other way around.

-.-.-

She was back at the stream. The green foliage nearby contrasted nicely with the tan sand that lined the stream. Azula was naked, and looking at her, directly into her eyes, directly into her soul. Her heart felt like it was going to stop. Her eyes were drawn to the princesses red lips, to her silky black hair, to the slight curves of her body.

"I know you want me," Azula said with a smug smile.

Katara's towel slipped.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Katara said angrily. "Why would I want you? I love Jet!"

"Jet's dead," Azula said, looking the waterbender over like a hungry wolf. "And you only loved him because you thought he was strong and could protect you. You were wrong little girl. You want me. I'm powerful. I'm strong."

Katara stood there shaking with rage, as she began to feel another emotion engulf her. Her face blushed deeply.

Drawing far too close to Katara, Azula whispered in the other girl's ear, "But you don't need him to protect you anymore. You are stronger than he ever was."

Katara pushed Azula away angrily, finding her voice she said, "Why are you saying this? I don't know that he's dead! He could have survived!"

Azula made a pouting face, and gave Katara some distance. "He's not here with you, is he? He didn't care enough to come find out."

"He could still be recovering!" Katara said firmly, her voice quickly losing its conviction. "Besides, what do you care?"

"I want you to be mine Katara," Azula said, her voice not betraying anything but confidence bordering on arrogance.

"I'll never be yours," Katara said; the resolve in her voice non existent.

Azula smiled as she moved so close to Katara she could feel her breath.

"I know you want me," Azula said. "Why don't we stop playing these little games?"

Katara moved closer to Azula and did not resist as the Fire Nation princess put her arms around her. Katara felt her body begin to ache, as if hungry.

"Silly little Water Tribe peasent," Azula said in a mock chiding voice. Her mouth mere inches from Katara's. "I knew you'd come around."

Katara looked deeply into Azula's eyes, begging her. She wanted her. She wanted to feel her kiss, to feel her hands on her body. She wanted it so badly it almost seemed to hurt.

Azula smiled and leaned in to kiss Katara. As the two girls kissed Katara felt some satisfaction, but an even greater desire, and a world of confusion.

Katara awoke in a cold sweat. She sat up and saw Azula on the other side of the makeshift structure. Azula appeared to be very soundly asleep, her face look angelic. She actually looked to be about her age. Normally Azula looked at least five years older than her. It was how she talked, how she carried herself.

Katara sighed and lied back down hoping to get some more sleep, without weird dreams. As she lied awake she wondered what in the world she had eaten that had caused her to have such a weird dream. Nothing major had happened at the stream. She just felt odd because she noticed Azula's figure, and wondered for a second if the evil princess' porcelain skin was as smooth as it looked. She just had figured it was jealousy or something, not that she ever disliked her tan skin.

This was something that she couldn't tell Aang about, he wouldn't understand, he was just a child. She wished Toph and Sokka were there. Sokka would've known what to do, and Katara knew she wouldn't be feeling as uneasy if Toph were there with them.

She sighed and tried to think of a way to get herself away from Azula. It wasn't like they had an extra tent. And what's more, the raining season was coming. Katara sighed into her sleeping bag. She felt trapped. She couldn't just tell Azula to get lost.

Why was she having such weird dreams about Azula? Was that what Azula wanted? Maybe it was just her intuition. Why would Azula want her? There were probably a lot of girls in the Fire Nation who would welcome her into their lives in whatever role. She already had two girls who followed her orders to a T. It all made no sense.

An even more startling possibility entered her mind. Was her dream what she herself wanted? No, she couldn't. She still wasn't over Jet yet. Water Tribe women didn't like women, it was taboo. She had heard of other cultures, where men married many women, and it wasn't uncommon for some of the wives to keep each other company when the husband was occupied. But that wasn't her culture.

Sure she'd noticed other girls who were pretty, but that was just an admiration of beauty, not anything perverted like her dream. Who didn't admire beautiful women? It wasn't like she didn't like guys or anything either. Haru, Jet, and that other guy from that village. She liked plenty of guys. She REALLY liked them.

Katara threw her sleeping bag off of herself, she felt too warm for it. Her skin cooled, the sweat evaporating, cooling her down. She doubted she'd get to sleep again any time soon. She stole a frustrated, almost angry, glare at Azula as she slid out of the tent as quietly as humanly possible.

The night air was cool and there was a slight breeze to the northwest. The air was still humid though. The chill permeated her body quickly. Before long she was cold. Cold but comfortable thinking just about how cold she was. How alone she was. She wondered if Jet was alone. He probably was. Alone and alive or alone and dead. Jet had been always alone, even when he was leading his gang.

Azula kind of seemed the same way, Katara caught herself thinking. The princess didn't seem to connect to anyone either. She reprimanded herself, she shouldn't think of Azula the same way she thought of Jet. Azula was evil. Jet was misguided, but good. And he made amends.

Not that she didn't like him anyway back when he was still evil. But that was different. She thought anyway. Why was life so complicated for her?

"You're awake," a tired voice stated.

Katara's whole body tensed up. "Yes, I can't sleep."

"Pity."

"I miss someone dear to me," Katara said strongly, wanting to be clear to Azula.

"Your mother?" Azula asked, remembering what Zuko had told her. Lying she added, "I miss mine too."

"No, not family," Katara said, in an irritated tone. "A boy."

"I miss my brother too," Azula lied, smiling sweetly. She was really enjoying the pleasant soul-bearing conversation. "While he's misguided sometimes, it's always nice to know that I'll always have big bro I can rely on when the chips are down."

Katara frowned, Azula wasn't making any sense. "You and your brother always appeared to hate each other."

"It's different for us," Azula shrugged. With a prideful tone she continued, "We're not normal siblings. We're expected to be rivals from the day the other is born. After all, only one can ascend to the throne."

Katara looked distrustfully at Azula.

"Anyway, tell me about your boy toy?" Azula said suddenly almost sounding perky. "Is he cute?"

"Of course," Katara said pridefully, deciding to play up her crush. "He's wonderful! I want to marry Jet and have his babies!"

"Wow, that sounds so serious," Azula said, a hint of slyness in her eyes. The Jet character sounded like a weak excuse to her.

"Girls our age are getting married every day," Katara replied. "Or at least they would be if it weren't for the war."

Azula smiled. "I guess that is a reason I should be glad for the war."

Katara glared at Azula.

"It's the only reason," the princess hastily amended.

Katara rolled her eyes and decided that she needed more space from the nosey princess. She began to walk away.

"Even if you hate me," Azula said suddenly. "I'm still glad to have met you."

"Why?" Katara asked as she whipped around, staring at Azula with a fierceness that excited the princess. "Why do you care? I'm a peasant, I have a complete life, I am my own woman. I don't want any pity, nor do I care to cater to foreign royalty."

"That's why Katara," Azula said, an earnest tone to her voice. "You think I find beggars, servants, and leeches interesting? They sicken me! In my father's kingdom I am the revered princess. Everyone always go out of their way to get along with me no matter how difficult I am. No one has the strength to resist me."

"The Avatar does," Katara said. "And that's why I believe in him. He has the power to save the world."

Azula hesitated and then nodded in agreement. "I know, that's why I'm on his side."

"I'm going to get some sleep," Katara said to excuse herself.

"I'm glad that I got this chance to talk to you Katara," Azula said in a sweet tone. "I feel like I understand you much better now."

-.-.-

Aang sighed and turned over. He was only twelve years old. He was the last of his kind. He had the weight of the world on his shoulder. He really didn't need to hear about how Katara loved Jet. But he did. He was a light sleeper.


	7. Honesty

Chapter 7: Honesty

By: RebLaw

Disclaimer: I still don't own Avatar, in case there was any confusion.

A/N: I'm sorry for how long this update has taken, and how short it is. I know it's only about 4 pages, but I feel that it's a good update, I'm really happy with everything, and it is probably the second to last chapter. Thank you to everyone who's kept on reading up to this point. I hope to have the next update sometime in January.

Billy Rose – Yeah, she's not very self-aware sometimes, but she's still young, ya'know?

crazyhorse – Azula's nice voice always has an edge to it, at least that's how it sounds to me when I'm writing (that's probably weird, but when I write I try to imagine what it would be like if the character on the TV show said it, it's generally how I work on keeping characters sounding 'in character').

Spleef – Thank you, I always appreciate your comments and feedback.

JessicaDanielle – yeah, I'm sorry, I should update more, but work, and overtime, and family, and friends. I will definitely get this story wrapped up by Valentine's Day 08 even if it kills me.

Momo – I'm still working on it:-D

Rei Hino – Yeah, I haven't forgotten that either, maybe Katara will remember it (but I think Aunt Wu specified that Katara's husband would be a powerful bender, but we can forget that little word can't we?)

Squeaky Phantom – Thank you for your kind review, I'll try to keep updating this story as quickly as I can. I don't think it's got too much more to go.

Gelphaba-Inamorata- I'm glad you like it, and I feel bad about Aang too, poor kid.

zenthois – ROTFLMAO

please update – it's updated now, I hope to update again in a month's time.

-.-.-

"Good morning Katara," Aang said as he sat up. He hasn't slept a wink since he heard Katara telling Azula that she was in love with Jet. Azula had gone back to bed but Katara hadn't slept since then. She sat by the dying embers that were once a fire.

"Are you feeling alright?" Katara asked, noting the dark circles under the boy's eyes.

"Yeah," Aang said reluctantly as he rubbed his eyes. "I just didn't sleep very well."

"Oh," Katara said, looking away, embarrassed. "You didn't hear Azula and me last night, did you?"

"Only a little," Aang admitted.

"I'm very sorry," Katara said, ashamed of her thoughtlessness. "I should've been quieter."

"It's no big deal," Aang said, giving Katara a sad smile.

"What's wrong," she asked, looking into Aang's eyes. It was obvious he was holding something back.

"I'd rather not say," the boy replied looking down at the ground as he sat down next to her.

"It's okay," she said smiling warmly. "I don't trust her either. I can't wait until she's gone."

"She?" Aang asked.

"Azula," Katara said quietly. "You're afraid of waking her up too, that's why you don't want to talk about it. You think she's the best teacher available, even if you don't trust her completely."

Aang raised an eyebrow. He slowly started to realize that Katara looked as exhausted as he was. She sounded almost as if she were frantically trying to convince herself that Azula was necessary for them.

"I understand," the waterbender said cheerfully. "Maybe we should ditch her and find you a different teacher."

"But we're in the middle of nowhere," Aang pointed out. "And how will Sokka find us if we leave? We're supposed to meet him here. Besides, I doubt I can find a more talented teacher than her."

Katara was silent.

"If it's what you want," Aang said after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"No, you're right," Katara said with a sigh. "We can't."

"But if it'll make you happy," Aang protested.

"No it won't," Katara said her voice tight with frustration. "I don't even know what will make me happy anymore."

"It'll be okay," Aang said with a smile giving Katara a hug. It wasn't often he got to be the one comforting Katara. Normally it was the other way around.

"Yes, it will," Katara said feeling a little better. She got up "I'm going to see if I can find some food for breakfast."

Aang sighed as Katara walked off. He wondered why didn't he just come out and say that he loved her.

"I love you," Aang said as soon as he was sure she was out of earshot.

"It might work better if you tell her when she can actually hear you," Azula pointed out surprising Aang.

"I didn't know you were up already," Aang said blushing with a sheepish smile.

"For now this can be our little secret," Azula said with a generous smile. "But I really think you should tell her."

"I should?" Aang asked. "But what if it goes wrong?"

"Please," Azula scoffed, rolling her eyes a little. "You're the Avatar."

Aang considered her words for a minute.

She smiled as she watched the young Avatar lap up everything she gave him. He was so easy to manipulate, it almost wasn't fun. She just had to tell him what he wanted to hear and his defensiveness went down like Ba Sing Se. Quick and easily without getting her hands horribly dirty.

Judging from how she had seen the two interact it was unlikely that Katara had ever thought of the boy as anything other than the goofy younger brother she never had.

"Thank you Azula," Aang said with a grateful smile. "I'm really glad you're my firebending teacher."

"I'm just glad I'm on the winning side," Azula replied politely in a tone that was almost too light. "Now lets get do some firebending."

Aang began doing the warm-up exercises happily. Azula offered polite suggestions to improve his technique.

-.-.-

Katara found her way to the creek. She didn't know where she was going when she walked there. Food wasn't that hard to find, you pretty much just had to go where there were things growing and you could find berries and nuts.

She could still remember the sight of the princess naked and bathing. The whiteness of her skin, how it looked so exotic next to her warm tanned skin. The slim figure of the princess. Her pinkish-red lips.

How did she get her lips so pink? Katara wondered. They looked so soft and smooth. She wondered how they'd feel against her own. Katara blushed when she caught herself thinking that.

She wished she could get Azula out of her mind, out of her dreams, out of her life. But she couldn't, for now helping Aang came first, everything else came second.

Katara sat down on the shore, decided to meditate to get her mind in order. Her people didn't meditate like Aang's did, but it wasn't unheard of. It wasn't like her to be obsessed with something like that. Actually it was, but it wasn't a good habit, unless it was being obsessed with helping people.

Maybe that was what was bothering her about Azula. Maybe subconsciously she wanted to help her. That had to be it. Azula did mention stuff about her dead mother and her evil father, she clearly came from a bad family situation, maybe she just needed someone good she could consider family.

She could be the sister Azula never had to help her. That's what she'd do. Then the weird feelings would go away, she just had to get close to her and be supportive.

Katara stood up and quickly found some berries and made her way back to camp, with peace in her heart.

-.-.-

As Katara returned to camp, Azula gave her most encouraging smile and told Aang that she'd give him some privacy. She decided to explore what was to the East of them, walking briskly.

"Katara I love you!" Aang blurted out as Katara got near to him. Azula smiled as she was barely still in earshot but out of sight.

Katara took the news without missing a beat. "I love you too Aang, you're family."

"That's not what I mean," Aang said, his heart feeling like it was about to fly out of his chest. He ran up to her and kissed her.

Katara's eyes widened with surprise.

"Aang," she said after their mouths parted. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Aang said, in a surprisingly calm voice. "I am too."

Katara furrowed her brow and put her hands on her hips. "What do you mean by that?"

"I just thought when I kissed you, it'd be different," Aang said sheepishly, unable to look Katara in the eye. "Monk Gyatso always told me about how when he first kissed his wife it felt like fireworks were going off."

"For me it felt like my little brother was kissing me," Katara said with a sad smile.

"Maybe you're right," Aang admitted. "Maybe our love for each other is family love."

Katara shrugged. With a smile she said, "Nothing wrong with that."

Aang smiled and gave Katara a hug. It felt good having come clean, being unburdened by all those emotions.


	8. Lessons

Chapter 8 : Lessons

by: RebLaw

Disclaimer: I still don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

A/N: Wow, did episode 3x13 have some slash-y subtext in it or what? I'm liking Zuko/Aang. Anyway, I hope to get this story done with soon, I'm going to get a lot busier IRL in the next couple of weeks. I may do a sequel to explore Azula and Katara's relationship more. Maybe.

Kitty-Katz-Katz – I pictured monks would have been able to at least have been married, I mean, otherwise the sex-segregated Air Nomads would've died out of a low birth-rate.

JessicaDanielle – Thank you, it makes me happy that my work makes others happy. Azula and a shrewd one, and honestly, Aang has been wanting to confess during a good chunk of season 2 anyway.

Squeaky Phantom – I'm glad you liked the chapter. Honestly, I wasn't sure how it'd be received. I'm glad that nobody has a huge problem with it.

crazyhorse08 – Thank you for following my story, I appreciate your feedback. I felt sad when I wrote that scene too, I didn't want to just ignore the Kataang that's been heavily present on the show since early season 2.

Toph's wannabe boyfriend – I'm glad you enjoy my little story.

Billy Rose – Yeah, Aang can sometimes be brave.

lilk- Yes, Yes she is. That's probably why she's my favorite character. :-)

Kitty Petro – I'm glad you like it and I hope you continue to like it. Enjoy the update.

"Punch like this," Azula instructed. She had been surprised to see Aang not heartbroken when she returned, and even more surprised when he thanked her for his advice after explaining what had happened.

Aang aped Azula's motions and was surprised when not only did his punch resemble hers, but fire shot out from it as well.

"I did it!" Aang exclaimed pleased with himself.

"Good job," Katara said, watching from the sidelines with her waterskin in tow in case of forest fires. "I knew it wouldn't be as hard for you as earthbending."

"No, it's really not," Aang agreed proudly.

"Now you just have to master about 400 more moves and you'll be a master," Azula said with a bit of an edge.

"Four HUNDRED?" Aang asked his face agape. Quickly he recovered, "But that'll include everything, even lightning right?"

Azula nodded to his initial question, "An additional 50 stances if you want to be able to do lightning."

Aang hung his head.

"It takes years for even prodigies like me to master firebending," the princess explained coldly.

"But Aang has to master firebending by the end of the summer," Katara explained. "He doesn't have time to spend years mastering firebending."

"Oh, that's right," Azula said as if she had forgotten something trivial. "Great-granddaddy's comet is coming. Yeah, Dad's real excited for it."

Katara almost chocked for a second. She had forgotten that Azula was indeed related to Sozen. That such an event would be common knowledge.

"He will be unstoppable after that," Aang said gravely. "Is there any way I can master firebending without learning so many moves?"

"I guess," Azula muttered. "Do you want to just learn one type of move? Attack? Defense?"

Aang sat down to consider it. Azula shrugged, and looked over at Katara.

"What do you think would be best Princess Azula?" Katara asked, putting a little extra emphasis on the word "princess." Katara paced a couple steps and continued. "The Fire Lord is your father, and you said you were close to him. Aang should learn the moves you think would benefit him the most."

Azula was taken aback; she wasn't expecting Katara to have thought of that. She had mostly believed the girl was a powerful waterbender. Now she knew Katara was a shrewd planner as well. It made her have to have the other girl even more.

Azula raised her eyebrows. "He's not known for being a warrior. He isn't a brilliant strategist."

Aang looked encouraged. Maybe the Fire Lord wouldn't be so tough.

"But," Azula continued her voice cold. "He is powerful and should not be underestimated. You should beware of the people around him; he often uses others as pawns to dirty their own hands so he can keep his own clean. You never even know who he'll use."

Aang swallowed nervously. Katara noticed an almost painful look in Azula's eye.

"When he attacks, he always goes for the kill. Or the scar, if that's what he's after. He doesn't want to just meet his goal- he wants to fulfill it perfectly. There's a reason why my brother's scar is on his face, where he can't hide it."

"How can I beat him?" Aang asked.

"Don't give him time to prepare," Azula answered, as if she were discussing how to make a nice chicken-duck roast. "No long speeches or sermons about how you're right and he's wrong, He'll use the time you waste to figure out how to kill you. If at all possible, don't let him see you coming-"

"Any firebending moves that would help me with that?" Aang asked.

Azula wrinkled her brow. "Why would you want to use firebending against him? He'll be able to match you blow for blow. He's not a prodigy like me, but he's had decades of firebending experience."

"So maybe Aang should concentrate on waterbending?" Katara suggested proudly. "I mean, water does extinguish fire."

"Thank you Katara," Azula said grimly. "Aang should probably learn some basic firebending defensive moves, and maybe lightning. Maybe."

"I thought firebending couldn't really be defensive," Aang protested. "Jeong Jeong said that firebending was destructive, that it was opposite of waterbending which was defensive and healing."

Azula smirked, "The best defense is a good offense."

-.-.-

It had been a long day. Katara was exhausted when sundown finally came. Between the weird dreams and the lack of sleep, Azula confronting her, Aang's confession, then watching the two firebend, Katara was about ready to lie down and fall asleep without dinner. It had been an emotionally draining day. She was glad to have all of the drama behind her. She just needed to wait until Sokka and Toph came back with Appa, it'd just be a couple more days at most.

Then she and Aang could disappear and abandon Azula.

She pictured the princess, tiny as a doll, becoming smaller and small with each passing second as Appa carried her and the others away. The princess' dark pink lips would be frowning, her beautiful amber eyes would be wide with shock. She might even chase after them. She might even beg. Plead. Humble herself. And they wouldn't have to listen.

"What are you so happy about?" Azula asked the waterbender who had an almost sadistic smile on her face.

"Oh, just thinking about how happy I am that Sokka and Toph should be back soon," Katara answered in the most innocent tone she could manage.

"Oh," Azula said neutrally. She didn't like how slow her plan was proceeding. Or how it sounded like Katara was suspicious of her. It was not going well. Her usual approach of playing a victim, and then pretending to be on her side, while manipulating her wasn't going to work. She needed to change something.

"It'll be nice when Appa gets back," Azula said after an awkward minute of silence. "I can't say I care much for the scenery."

"It's beautiful here," Katara retorted a frown appearing on her face.

"You'd love it in the Fire Nation," Azula commented lightly. "Around the mountains. It's so green."

Katara shrugged, and quickened her step. She may have to go gather food, but there was no reason why she had to do so with Azula.

"I'm sorry Katara," Azula said, her eyes looking at the ground. She stopped in her place, allowing Katara to pick how much distance would be between them.

"You should be," Katara growled. "After what you did to Aang. After all the trouble you gave to us. How could you think that you could just teach Aang a trick or two and we'd all treat you like family?!"

"No," Azula replied, putting on her best shamed face. She lowered herself to sit on the ground.

"Of course not!" Katara continued. "Just because you're a princess, because you're pretty, because you're talented, because you're amazing, because you're brilliant, it doesn't mean I have to like you!"

"I'm so sorry."

"You should be," Katara said, the conviction in her voice weakening. She didn't know why, but she was beginning to feel guilty. It wasn't like Azula was currently being evil.

"It's okay if you never forgive me, I'm a monster," Azula said in a quiet voice.

She hated acting like that. It reminded her too much of her mother. Not that her mother really upset her, but she always hated how her mother favored Zuko and continually forced her to apologize. She hated her childhood failure. So much shame, no way to undo it.

Katara sighed feeling frustrated by the conflicting emotions within her. "No, you're not a monster Azula." She hated that she said that, but it was honestly how she felt. Azula had shown a new side, and Katara had to admit having her teach Aang firebending wasn't that bad.

Azula turned her head around and looked up at Katara. The waterbender still wore an intense expression on her face, but it looked more protective than angry.

Katara sighed again, loudly. "Come on, we should find some food. I'm just tired." She was too tired of hating Azula. It took too much energy.

Azula picked herself up and gave Katara a shy smile. Apparently the way to Katara's heart was making sure she felt like she was in control.


	9. Challenges

Chapter 9: Challenges

Chapter 9: Challenges

By: RebLaw

A/N: I'm humbled by how many people have my little silly Azutara story favorited or on their alert list. I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I decided to go to school half time (while working fulltime) so I didn't have any free time, but I'm confident that I'll get this story done before the finale (and will start a new one after the finale, probably another Azutara). And look up "Spazzy Jazzy aka Mdalia", she's my best friend and was kind enough to betaread this.

I put a lot into this chapter (although it's short) and I really hope I made it worth the wait for you guys.

"Katara wake up," a voice hissed jarring the waterbender from her restful sleep. "We need to leave."

Katara reluctantly opened one eye to see Azula dressing. It was dark out, the moon provided the only light – their usual fire had been extinguished. In half-asleep voice she asked, "What's going on?"

"There are soldiers close by," Azula said shortly. "We don't want them finding us. Especially Aang."

"Maybe they're Earth Kingdom soldiers?" Katara said as she turned over to fall back asleep.

"I doubt it," Azula said gently, as she was leaving the tent. "I'll go wake-up Aang, you get dressed and packed up."

Katara fell back asleep, and drifted into a dream where she met up with Sokka again. Only Sokka had been kidnapped by sky pirates. Fire Nation sky pirates. With parrot-hawk-monkeys. Suddenly Sokka grabbed her and began to shake her.

"Get up Katara," Azula said in a stern voice, as she shook the girl. "We NEED to leave NOW. Get dressed."

Azula grabbed Katara's clothing and threw them at her. There wasn't time to be perfect now. She had heard soldiers and rhino footfalls. The Earth Kingdom's domestic military forces should have collapsed by now. The soldiers were definitely Fire Nation.

Katara picked herself up after Azula rolled her out of her sleeping bag. She quickly readjusted to the situation now that she was no longer warm and comfortable. She quickly dressed herself.

"Aang up?" Katara asked. She was used to being the one most on top of everything during emergencies.

"Yes," Azula said shortly.

"We should leave the tent?" Katara asked as the two girls climbed out of it.

Azula shock her head, and grabbed a couple bags. They should try to make the site look deserted as possible.

Katara made quick work of disassembling it, and carried as Azula lead her and Aang down a winding path. The path was obviously just for animals, even small Aang was having trouble navigating it. Katara was amazed at how sure-footed the princess was.

"If they find the campsite the embers will still be warm," Azula whispered explaining her plan. "Then they'll look harder because they'll know we don't want to be found."

"But won't they think we're just refugees?" Aang asked stopping in his path. "There have to be thousands of refugees since Ba Sing Se fell."

Azula shook her head as she made it to a clearing. Her eyes darted to and fro, making sure the coast was clear. It looked clear but she didn't want to risk it. She grabbed Katara's hand and pulled her deeper into the forest, they were going to go around the clearing.

"I made sure no one the city after it fell," Azula admitted grimly. "It's not like they'd have any place to go. At least in the city there will be food and water."

Katara frowned and pulled her hand away from Azula's and stopped in her tracks. "Until the Fire Lord taxes them to death."

Azula frowned. This wasn't the time for Katara to bring up things like that, it wasn't as if she actually knew the inhabitants of the city that well. Her lie about actually caring about the inhabitants of Ba Sing Se was convincing.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Azula said harshly but quietly. "The Fire Lord doesn't overtax the colonies. The war doesn't even pay for itself. Our country is barely getting by with how much the military costs."

Katara continued to glare at Azula.

"What?!" Azula exclaimed a little too loudly. "It would have been better for them to give up their homes and possessions and flee when we're going to liberate them soon enough anyway?"

Katara was really hating it how Azula was making sense almost all the time now. How the princess appeared to not be completely evil anymore and how she actually was kind in a harsh way.

"We need to keep moving," Aang said to the two girls quietly. "Katara, Ba Sing Se doesn't matter anymore. Azula, we need to keep quiet."

"You're right Aang," Katara said, looking at the ground. "I must just be too tired."

Azula's eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of motion. A rough rhino rider entered the clearing. She threw herself to the ground, pulling Katara and Aang down as well.

But it was too late.

"I saw someone this way!" the soldier called. He paused for a moment, his beast wanted to go forward, to find what had moved, but the soldier wanted to wait for confirmation before charging ahead.

But it never came.

That didn't cause the soldier much pause. He continued ahead, it didn't make sense to be cautious, it was probably just an animal or some refugees. There were thousands of those around especially after Omashu fell.

"Show yourselves," the soldier commanded.

Azula stood up, walked out of the clearing toward him and fearlessly glared at him.

"Who are you?" the soldier said pointing a polearm at her. "Have you seen the Avatar?"

Katara wouldn't have been surprised if the soldier could hear her heartbeat. Azula could be impaled at the whim of the soldier.

"Princess Azula," the firebender announced.

"Liar," the soldier said, moving the polearm closer to the princess's neck. "Who are you really?"

Azula shrugged, and in moves that were far too quick for the soldier to anticipate she swung her arms around and summoned lightning and ended the soldier.

"Do you believe me now?" Azula muttered quietly with a sick smile on her face.


	10. Choices

Chapter 10: Choices

A/N: Hi, it's been a while. I'm three years older and married now. Um, thanks for all the comments, I've been keeping up on them as they've come in. I fell in love, shacked up, got married (adopted two cats along the way), and got really sick. Now I seem to be doing alright these days. I've been wanting to finish this story for a while. So much for my goal of finishing it before the finale!

Azula turned to see the fall out of her actions. Katara fell to her knees and vomited. Aang just stared at her unflinching.

"Katara?" Azula asked. She reached towards the water bender, attempting to comfort her. The smell of burning flesh didn't bother her much, but it wasn't the first time she had seen someone die.

"Go away," Katara said, pulling Aang with her.

The waterbender had never felt so disgusted. Not with Azula, well, maybe a little with Azula, but mostly with herself. She had just begun to really trust her. How could she have been so foolish?

"Aang," Azula said in her strictest voice. "This is why you need me. You wouldn't have done this. But things like this will need to be done along the way."

That cinched it for Katara, Azula was evil. She wasn't showing any remorse, any pause. The guy was just a soldier, they could've hid, they could've fled, they were some of the strongest benders on the whole planet, they didn't need to kill a simple soldier to be free. It made no sense. And now the evil young woman was trying to justify herself. It was disgusting.

"You're wrong," Aang said. "We need less of that to be done. We're the good guy!"

Katara turned around, annoyed with Aang. "Come on!"

She just wanted to leave, to be done with Azula. No more ambiguity, no more cautious trust, and best of all, no more weird dreams.

"You know," Aang admitted, both sadness and anger in his voice. "I had really hoped you had changed."

Katara was relieved that Aang said what she was thinking, what she was feeling. She grabbed Aang's wrist to pull him away. The soldier's body was still cooking from the electrocution, its nauseating odor poisoning the air.

"But I have," the Fire Nation princess protested. Bushes could be heard rustling. They didn't have time to debate or chat. "I'm a good guy now, I'm one of you."

Katara pulled Aang off into the brush, going eastward. Nothing mattered more to her than getting away from that, that, murderess.

Azula cursed under her breath as the rustling got closer. She opted to head north. The princess was an expert on managing relationships. She knew they would need some time apart from her.

-.-.-.-

"I can't believe it," Katara said, after they had gotten far enough it felt safe. "We trusted her."

"Yeah," Aang agreed. "I don't know what we should do."

"Let's leave her to die," Katara suggested bleakly.

"I don't think that's going to happen," the Avatar said. "If she is still evil, then she'll just go back to the Fire Nation, if she's not…"

"What was that 'if she's not'?" Katara exclaimed. "That girl KILLED a man in front of us."

"But what would've happened if she didn't? Would her treachery have been found out? Would it have compromised her plan."

"I don't know," Katara admitted, her eyebrows furrowed. "I don't remember her ever spelling out her grand plan. She just promised us help, and you fire bending lessons."

Aang nodded, "So, you think she took us for fools?"

"Well, now we're separated from the others, without Appa, and we don't even have a map of where we are. If she did, she did a good job."

Aang exhaled loudly. "We're in trouble aren't we?"

"I hope Sokka finds us soon," Katara stated bleakly as she ran her hand across the ground, sitting down.

"At least we should be able to hear Azula coming," the Avatar said, trying to sound upbeat. "If she were an airbender she'd be able to sneak up on us."

"So, she is evil then?" Katara asked. The young Water Tribe girl wasn't stupid, just, it felt like the past few days events were overwhelming her ability to think about them clearly. Aang almost died, Azula showed up, offered her services, tried to teach Aang, didn't do so well, they split up from Sokka and Toph, and now this. If it were an animal she were riding on, she'd ask to be left off!

"I think she's doing to tell us that she's not evil," Aang stately blandly. "I have no idea if she is."

Katara swallowed uncomfortably. The idea of Azula being evil no longer was one of the basic truths she knew about the world. Just a few days ago, she would've sworn that the fire bending princess was evil incarnate, now, now she was confused and conflicted. She wanted to be free of the girl, but she also wanted to understand her. It gave her a headache to think about.

"Do you think we should go off further? I think there's supposed to be a body of water a good days trek from here."

Aang agreed, and picked himself up off the ground. The two began walking together eastward in silence.

He didn't really want his mind to wonder, when it did he could only remember the burnt corpse of the soldier. Azula's words also haunting him, that things like that were going to be necessary. As much as he wanted to avoid it, she was right. He couldn't exactly just make it to the Fire Lord's doorstep and ask him to please leave the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes alone, please.

But did he have it in him to kill the Fire Lord? Did he even want to have that in him? He had been raised to not even accept the death of animals for food. How much harder was it going to be for him to accept the death of a person? By his own hand no less.

Zhao's death had been easy to accept. A god had killed Zhao, and rightfully so, and Zhao had killed a goddess. Those where actions outside of human control. Way outside of his own control. Fire Lord Ozai's death, that was, at best, under his control. No gods or spirits would do his dirty work for him.

Would it be better if he accepted Azula's offer for help? She'd be the most willing and able to destroy her father. But, if she was doing it for her own selfish motives, what was to keep her from rising up to be an even eviler- harder to defeat enemy? Especially now that she had gotten to know them somewhat. At least with fighting Ozai, he didn't know anything about them first hand.

"You look lost in your thoughts," Katara commented.

Aang stopped walking. When Katara turned to see what was wrong, he hugged her.

"Come on," Katara said, her voice betraying forced cheerfulness. "Let's get to a body of water!"

"We need to, don't we?" Aang stated. He and Katara needed to protect themselves, from Azula if necessary.

"I don't know," Katara said honestly. "I don't think Azula's going to even try to find us tonight. But it never hurts to be prepared."

Aang nodded. Katara realized that she needed to be the one to keep it together. Aang had been doing his best, but, he already had so heavy of a burden.

.-.-.-.

Azula cursed under the breath as she jogged. How could she have lost control? She had gotten herself out of tighter pinches before without having to show that much of her hand. She must be getting soft. Spending too much time around goody-two-shoes.

She started to sprint east. The princess doubted Aang and Katara were going to make it very far today. The event undoubtedly shook them up a lot. She prayed to Agni that they wouldn't do anything stupid over it. She didn't want to have to rescue them.

There was a chance they could forgive her for a mistake. But only once. It was much easier to fool the Earth King. He didn't know about anything that was going on. Aang and company, they didn't give her a lot of privacy, she had to had to have her façade up all the time. No co-conspirators to get feedback from. She should've brought Ty Lee with her. Everyone always loved Ty Lee. The acrobat could've distracted the cynical Sokka. But then again, the acrobat might've given them away, what with Toph's abilities.

Azula heard the snort of a rhino.


End file.
